Belarus court hands two opposition activists lengthy prison sentences
- Maria Kolesnikova was found guilty of conspiring to seize power, creating an extremist organisation and calling for actions damaging state security
- Lawyer Maxim Znak faced the same charges. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Kolesnikova was handed an 11-year sentence
A court in Belarus on Monday sentenced two leading opposition activists to lengthy prison terms, the latest move in the relentless crackdown that Belarusian authorities have unleashed on dissent in the wake of last year’s anti-government protests.
Maria Kolesnikova, a top member of the opposition Coordination Council, has been in custody since her arrest last September. A court in Minsk found her guilty of conspiring to seize power, creating an extremist organisation and calling for actions damaging state security and sentenced her to 11 years in prison.
Lawyer Maxim Znak, another leading member of the Coordination Council who faced the same charges, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the convictions were unjust, adding “we call for their immediate, unconditional release and for that of all other political prisoners held by the Lukashenko regime.” Western European officials also denounced the sentences.
Kolesnikova, who helped coordinate months-long opposition protests that erupted after an August 2020 presidential vote, resisted authorities’ attempts to force her to leave the country.